gay rightshttp://kmuw.org
enhttp://kmuw.org/feeds/term/513/rss.xmlVigil For Orlando Shooting Victims To Be Held In Old Townhttp://kmuw.org/post/vigil-orlando-shooting-victims-be-held-old-town
<p>A quiet vigil to remember the victims of Sunday’s mass shooting in Orlando will take place downtown on Wednesday.</p><p></p><p>The Wichita Coalition Against Gun Violence will host a vigil to reflect on the 49 victims who lost their lives, as well as for those who were injured. The shootings occurred early Sunday morning at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Police killed the gunman.</p><p>Rev. Michael Poage, the vigil's organizer, says that the local community can come together after the tragic event.</p>Tue, 14 Jun 2016 21:06:57 +0000Carla Eckels68911 at http://kmuw.orgVigil For Orlando Shooting Victims To Be Held In Old TownKansas LGBT Activist Responds To Orlando Massacrehttp://kmuw.org/post/kansas-lgbt-activist-responds-orlando-massacre
<p>Gay rights activists and members of the LGBT community throughout Kansas and Missouri are in a state of shock in the wake of Sunday's massacre of at least 50 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida Saturday night. Stephanie Mott, State Vice-Chair of Equality Kansas, says people she’s spoken to are feeling a wide array of emotions.</p><p></p>Mon, 13 Jun 2016 14:59:02 +0000Tom Parkinson68837 at http://kmuw.orgKansas LGBT Activist Responds To Orlando MassacreKansas DCF Pushes Back Against Discrimination Claimshttp://kmuw.org/post/kansas-dcf-pushes-back-against-discrimination-claims
<p></p><p></p><p>The head of the Kansas Department for Children and Families says concerns over discrimination against same-sex foster parents are causing a distraction.</p><p>The comments from Secretary Phyllis Gilmore came at a committee meeting at the Statehouse on Tuesday. Gilmore said the allegations are being politicized and taking focus away from other issues.</p><p>“If ever the distraction of that issue for political means results in a child’s death, I would say shame on the legislators who are politicizing it,” Gilmore says.</p>Tue, 19 Jan 2016 20:54:51 +0000Stephen Koranda62262 at http://kmuw.orgKansas DCF Pushes Back Against Discrimination ClaimsKansas: No Court Order Needed For Same-Sex Birth Certificatehttp://kmuw.org/post/kansas-no-court-order-needed-same-sex-birth-certificate
<p>Same-sex couples in Kansas who conceive through artificial insemination will have an easier time obtaining birth certificates for their children.</p><p></p><p><strong>From the AP: &nbsp;</strong></p><p>Kansas officials say no court order will be needed in the future to process birth certificate applications of children from same-sex couples who conceive by artificial insemination.</p>Mon, 12 Oct 2015 21:52:39 +0000Associated Press & Sean Sandefur57978 at http://kmuw.orgKansas: No Court Order Needed For Same-Sex Birth CertificateMore Than 150 Kansas Same-Sex Couples Wed In 2014http://kmuw.org/post/more-150-kansas-same-sex-couples-wed-2014
<p></p><p>More than 150 same-sex couples got married in Kansas last year. That's out of 17,000 marriages, statewide, in 2014. The numbers come from a new report issued by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.&nbsp;</p><p>Equality Kansas Executive Director Thomas Witt says same-sex couples only had a short window in 2014 to get married.</p><p>Coupled with the fact that not all counties were issuing licenses, Witt says the number of same-sex marriages is impressive.</p>Fri, 09 Oct 2015 21:31:33 +0000Stephen Koranda57909 at http://kmuw.orgMore Than 150 Kansas Same-Sex Couples Wed In 2014KDHE Issues Birth Certificates To Same-Sex Kansas Coupleshttp://kmuw.org/post/kdhe-issues-birth-certificates-same-sex-kansas-couples
<p></p><p>The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has agreed to issue birth certificates for two same-sex couples.</p><p>In both cases, the women had children through artificial insemination.</p><p>Kansas law says a married couple can both be listed on the birth certificate for a child born through artificial insemination, but KDHE initially declined to list two women as the parents.</p><p>KDHE spokesperson Sara Belfry says they issued the certificates after reviewing applicable laws and court orders. She says they will issue birth certificates in the future to same-sex couples.</p>Thu, 08 Oct 2015 21:44:29 +0000Stephen Koranda57859 at http://kmuw.orgKDHE Issues Birth Certificates To Same-Sex Kansas CouplesMany Local Governments In Kansas Have Been Offering Same Sex-Benefits For Some Timehttp://kmuw.org/post/many-local-governments-kansas-have-been-offering-same-sex-benefits-some-time
<a href="http://cpa.ds.npr.org/kcur/audio/2015/07/same-sex_local.mp3" class="asset-audio"></a><p><img class="wysiwyg-asset-image-wrapper left" data-caption="Same-sex marriage benefits are not a new thing for many employees of Kansas school districts and other local governments." data-attribution="Credit Mktp / Flickr--CC" typeof="foaf:Image" src="http://mediad.publicbroadcasting.net/p/kcur/files/styles/card_280/public/201507/rainbow_flag_0.jpg" alt="" /><p>For a while, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback was saying it was going to be pretty difficult to start offering benefits to same-sex couples who worked for the state following the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling.<p>It took a few days, but the state finally started granting gay and lesbian couples benefits.&#160;But local governments have been quietly offering same-sex benefits for some time.<p>Mon, 13 Jul 2015 20:58:12 +0000Sam Zeff53831 at http://kmuw.orgMany Local Governments In Kansas Have Been Offering Same Sex-Benefits For Some TimeGov. Brownback: Same-Sex Marriage Order Is Narrowhttp://kmuw.org/post/gov-brownback-same-sex-marriage-order-narrow
<p>Governor Sam Brownback's chief spokeswoman says the governor's recent executive order on same-sex marriage does not apply to local governments.</p><p>Spokeswoman Eileen Hawley issued a statement yesterday in response to criticism from the group Equality Kansas.</p><p>The order this week protects clergy, churches and religious groups that refuse to participate in same-sex weddings or to provide goods, services or accommodations for them.</p><p>The order says state agencies and political subdivisions shall not punish them for acting on their opposition to same-sex marriage.</p>Fri, 10 Jul 2015 19:40:17 +0000Associated Press53719 at http://kmuw.orgKansas Governor Issues Executive Order To Protect Opponents Of Gay Marriagehttp://kmuw.org/post/kansas-governor-issues-executive-order-protect-opponents-gay-marriage
<p>The state of Kansas is trying to digest the meanings of two decisions: the <a href="http://kmuw.org/post/kansas-opening-state-employee-health-insurance-same-sex-spouses" target="_blank">extension of health benefits to state employees with same-sex partners</a>, and an executive order from the governor on the protection of religious freedom.</p><p>Tue, 07 Jul 2015 19:28:46 +0000Aileen LeBlanc53549 at http://kmuw.orgKansas Governor Issues Executive Order To Protect Opponents Of Gay MarriageBrownback Ends Protections For LGBT Kansas State Employeeshttp://kmuw.org/post/brownback-ends-protections-lgbt-kansas-state-employees
<p></p><p>Republican Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has overturned an executive order that had protected many state employees from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.</p><p>The executive order had been put into place in 2007 by former Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius.</p><p>Tom Witt, with the group Equality Kansas, says LGBT state employees don’t have any other protections under Kansas law.</p>Wed, 11 Feb 2015 18:21:13 +0000Stephen Koranda46826 at http://kmuw.orgBrownback Ends Protections For LGBT Kansas State Employees